Marguet Ambonnay Rose 2018 (750ML)

95 Points, Stuart Pigott, www.jamessuckling.com: "This reminds me of the strawberries of my childhood, but also second flush Darjeeling tea and with each swirl of the glass this gains more aromatic complexity. Powerful and structured thanks to the beautifully integrated tannins, but very pure and bright through the very long finish. Such a daring and original rosé Champagne! 82% chardonnay and 18% pinot noir, and about one quarter of the latter was red wine. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold." 11/23

94+ Points John Gilman, View From the Cellar: "The 2018 vintage of Benoît Marguet’s “Ambonnay” Rosé is an excellent follow-up to the dazzling 2017 version he made of this wine. The cépages for the 2018 version is eighty-two percent chardonnay and eighteen percent pinot noir. As has been the case for many vintages now, the wine is non-dosé and was aged three and a half years on its fine lees prior to disgorgement in February of 2023. The bouquet is very, very refined this year, wafting from the glass in a mix of peach, strawberries, sumac, chalky minerality, orange zest, just a whisper of oak and a gently smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, focused and complex, with lovely depth at the core, superb mineral undertow and grip, pinpoint bubbles and a very long, seamlessly balanced and vibrant finish. Like the 2018 Bouzy Rosé, this deserves at least a handful of years in the cellar to allow it to relax structurally and really start to hit on all cylinders. A beautiful wine. 2026-2045." 07/23